A member of the communication team of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Awal Mohammed, has called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to present all evidence it has to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) in order to defend itself against a petition filed by the policy think tank IMANI Africa.
Speaking on the New Day on TV3, Mohammed emphasized the need for CHRAJ to expedite investigations into the petition, stating that delays would not serve the public interest.
IMANI Africa recently petitioned CHRAJ to investigate the conduct of the Electoral Commission in the disposal of election-related materials. Franklin Cudjoe, Founding President of IMANI Africa, expressed concerns over the commission’s actions in the premature retirement and disposal of various equipment, including laptops, cameras, printers, scanners, and fingerprint verifiers.
Cudjoe accused the EC of misappropriation, wastage, and misuse of resources, claiming that the conduct amounted to a conflict of interest and potential corruption. He alleged that the EC was attempting to erase inventory records and physical evidence to cover up falsehoods about the purchase history of electoral equipment.
The petition highlighted that some of the devices cost more than $3000 each, and their collective worth amounts to tens of millions of dollars. Cudjoe called for a transparent process for the disposal of such equipment and criticized the lack of compliance with data handling and protection standards.
The NPP’s Awal Mohammed urged the EC to cooperate with CHRAJ and respond to the allegations. He emphasized the importance of accountability and transparency in the handling of public resources and called for a swift resolution to the matter for the benefit of the public.
